Wheel supporting structure



Feb. 10, 1948. w. D. ALLISON 2,435,814

WHEEL SUPPORTING S TRUCTURE Filed Oct. 25, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheep l H T-H u wnmw 48 46a INVEN TP lhhhhhhhhhfl {fl k #25 1504 46 46 Feb. 10, 1948. w. D. ALLISON WHEEL SUPPORTING STRUdTURE Filed Oct. 25, 1944- 3 like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation illustrating a pair of dirigible independently sprung wheels mounted to the frame of the vehicle in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a unitary support bracket and wheel spindle constructed of stampings in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view taken substantially in the direction of the arrow numbered 3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation taken from the inner side of the upright wheel supporting bracket of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged end view arm shown in Fig. 4.

of the steering Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, of

the wheel assembly. 1 I

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the king pin connecter bearing member interposed between the upper or lower end of the wheel support arm and su'spension arm.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in sec"- tion, illustrating the connection between the upper suspension arm and the upright spindle carrying support arm or bracket,

Fig. 9 is a section taken substantially through lines 9-9 of Fig. 8 looking in the direction of the arrows. I

Fig. 10 is a view somewhat similar to Fi 6 illustrating a modified construction.

a Fig. 11 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 10 illustrating the invention as applied to a front wheel drive. 7

Fig, 12 is a sectional view taken substantially through lines l2--l2 of Fig. 11 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of bein practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

- In Fig. 1 there is illustrated somewhat diagrammatically a suspension of the parallelogram type for the dirigible wheels, such as the front wheels, of an automobile. In this view the conventional coil springs interposed between the upper and lower suspension arms are omitted for-the purposes of clarity. The spaced longitudinal side frame sills of the vehicle are indicated at 29, these sills being rigidly connected together adjacent their front ends by a crossframe member 2|. Each wheel is provided with an upper suspension arm 22 pivoted or hinged at 23 to the, vehicle frame and is also provided with a. lower suspension arm 24 hinged'at its inner endat 25 to the bottom of the cross-frame memberi2l. The upper and lower wheel suspension arms 22 and 24 are adapted to swing in paral-' lelism about their hinge connections 23 and 25 on the frame in'response to vertical movements of the wheelsduring operation of the vehicle. In accordance with the present invention the outer ends of the suspension arms are hinged to the upperand lower ends of an upright wheel'supportsarm orbracket to permit relative motion of. these parts -about horizontal axes. In addition, the upper and lower ends of the wheel support bracket are connected to the suspension arms 22 and 24 by means of spaced king pins permitting the entire wheel support bracket to turn in a generally horizontal plane for the purpose of steering the vehicle.

Referring to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, there is illustrated at 26 an upright spindle carrying wheel support bracket or arm providing the connection between the outer ends of the upper and lower suspension arms 22 and 24. Extending outwardly from the bracket 26 and forming a rigid unitary part thereof is a wheel spindle 21. In the present embodiment of the invention the bracket 26 and Wheel spindle 21 are formed in two parts or halves 28 and 29 permanently secured together j as by welding. The parts 28 and 29 are pressed or stamped fromsuitable heavy gauge sheet steel portion 26 in the form of a vertically extending to provide, when welded together, the bracket inwardly opening channel and the wheel spindle Z'I'in -the form of a tubular member. The stamp- 1 ings 28' and 29 are formed with vertically extending abutting edges at the outer side or central web of the bracket 26, which are butt-welded together at 39, see Fig. 4. At their upper ends the members 28 and 29 are formed with overlapping portions 28a and 29a pierced to provide a king pin hole 3|.

At their lower ends the stampings 28 and 29 are formed with corresponding overlapping portions 280 and 290 also pierced to provide a bottom king pin hole 3la. Since the upright support bracket is in the form of an inwardly opening channel the spaced side flanges thereof extend inwardly from the outer central Web of the channel, and the inner vertical edges of these side flanges are turned outwardly in opposite directions to provide edge flanges 28b and 29b.

The stampings 28 and 29 are also formed integrally with the two projecting sections 32 and 33 of the spindle 21 which are butt-welded along their opposite meeting edges at 34 as illustrated in Fig. 3. The portions 32 and 33, which are welded together to provide the wheel spindle, are suitably shaped to form cylindrical bearing portions' 21a and 21b adjacent opposite ends of the spindle and an intermediate tapered portion 210. It will be noted that the outer walls of the channel bracket 26 immediately above and below the line of weld 39 are formed with flat overlapping portions 35 and 35a which are rigidly secured together. The upper overlapping portions at 35 support the brake anchor bolt 36 which extends therethrough and provides means for rigidly securing the brake backing plate 31 to the upper outer side of the bracket 26, the anchor bolt passing through the overlapping portions at 35 and being secured rigidly in position by a nut 38. As illustrated in Fig. 6, the brake backing plate 31 is rigidly secured to the lower end of the bracket26 below the spindle 21 by an attaching bolt 42 passing through the overlapping portions at 35a. As illustrated in Fig. 6, the wheel hub 49 for the Wheel 4| is supported upon the spindle 21 through the medium of conventional roller bearings supported upon the bearing areas 21a and 21b. From the foregoing it will be seen that the wheel support bracket 26 and wheel spindle 21 comprise two unitary stampings which are welded together to form a single structural unit adapted to revolubly support the wheel 4| and to turn therewith rwhen it is :desired :steer :the vehicle. Furthermoraiit rvil1 :be noted a that: the bracket 5. is constructed in improved manner $0435 to enable the-brake backing: plate T3] to beaattached directly thereto.- at :relatively'widely spaced points above andbelow thetwheelspindle aIn' accordance *with .the .present invention the steering .mechanism :for the :wheels 4 I is con.- nected directly to the wheelisupporti brackets 26. As illustrated in .Figs. ;2, 41am! 5 *zeachasteering arm :43 .isrpressediorxrolled:from" sheet steeliainto channel giorm .having parallel rsiiie iflanges 143a terminating in .outturned r-atta-ching flanges 143i) rigidly secured j. to the. flangesrflib and-29b :of :the bracket 26 by rivets 44. shown-particularly in Figs. 14 .and :5, the side flanges '-,43avgradually converge outwardly, and atthe outer end of the steering arm these flanges are. :brought together into direct -contact as shownat 43.0. The. out.- turnedfl-anges 43b at'theouter end ofthe-steere ing arm are folded back .uponthe'intermediate flanges iScas shown at "43d:in"Fig.'5. Thus, the outer endof the steering armacomprises in effect four thicknesses of the metal produced, by'the pressed :or pinched "together fiange portions 43c, and 43d which are welded together to provid-e a steering arm end aportion vof considerable strength and rigidity. This end portion is piercedttoiprovide a hole-'45 totreceive thetierod end. connection, the tie-rod extendingacrossthe frontof the vehicle and connecting theends-of the steering arms in accordance .with conventional practice.

The connections between the upper and .lower ends of each wheelsupport bracket .26 and .the

wheelsuspension arms 22.24 are suchas tonermitrelative rotation of thebrack et and suspension arms .about both horizontal and vertical axes, .thus. enabling .the ivehicle, wheelspto .be steered and also to move vertically in response to irregularities .in, the. road, Referring .to 'Figs. 7, 8 and 9, there is provided between the upper end of the bracket 12.5. andthev upper suspension.

arm 22 a. member 46 which may foroonvenience ping portionslZBo, 29d of the bracket. 'From thisv construction 'it will be seen that ;.the bracket fiisj capable of turning about the vertical axis of the king pin .49 whichihasabearing within the bushing 48 .in the transverse conneoter member 46. This member, as showninrFig.17,.isprovided with..oppositely extending .threadedshank portions Mia which pass,.throughalined holeslin the outer bifurcated end portions .zzaoi the tupper suspension arm v 22. As shown in.Fig. 8, threaded tubular bearing members it are :interposed between the portions 46a and 22a, each of these bearing members beingfscrewed onto the. threaded shank; 46a. and having externa1 threads cooperating with threaded portions married by the ends 22a :of the suspension .arm which per-- unit thearm torotate ion thebearlngs 5| about a transverse horizontal .axis extending through the connectermenrberAfi. The-ends of the connecter :rnem'ber. which pass v through the 'biiiur- 6. catedrmids ciiisiiheasuspenshmsa mri:2,rm g theretoiby m'its fi. From the:iomgoingrconstnuctiom it iwi-llrbe' seen that :the upper :suspension :am 12 :is :rotatable upon zthererids :of the :connector .bea'ring membel' 46,";thusrpermittings relative turnin imotion-t'otithe suspensioner-nmnd zbracketrzli .aboutza'hurizontul axis. :Eurthermora; lrbtatlhh air ithe cconnecter bracket-ddxinna. hoiizontatiplane relatiueltoithe suspensionmrmiisrpermitted throughithe medium of;theskingrpin.:bearing; 49 :mounted within :the connecterzmeinberrfl. iTheconnecting'means'be tween: the outer -endxif the-rlowerisuspension .arm 24 andi themracket 2 5 isstsubstantially the same as 'that at the upper endiofthe abracketas z-above des cribeii; withtthe :exceptioni that theiposition or the parts iszreversedsinlthe manner illustratediin Fig. .113.

.. lnithecconstruction: illustratediin Figs- 6' and 9v the method cofr'fabrication ofIthe-unitary supporting bracket: and spindlesZii difierssomewhat from that illustratediin-Figs; 2 and 4. :Although inLEig; 6 thedoraoketand!spindleaare formed from two: sheet 'metalcsections orlhalves as previously described, .these ssections are met "provided. with the overlapping rrein-forcing 'sportions 128a, 1911, 28c andl29c. .Instead thie=sheeti metal=sections are butt-welded together a'Oncontinuous 'weld lines extending along'ithe top andbottomof the spindle 2 'I' and along "the.- outer face and across the upper offset ends'azfia-andflfibzof the bracket. The upper end of thebracketiflixmay beireinforcedl-interiorly by means ofian angle memberrlfi'csspot-welded in position. so.asst0 strengthen theebraoket "forL-the purposes of supporting theibrakexanChor 'bo1t- 36 and the upper king :pin mounting. Asimilar reinforcing angle :may. be :spot-weld'ediin :position;

if desired, awithin itheiloweraendof thelbracket- 25 so'asto provide reinforcement-in this locality for "the mounting oil-the lower-king:pinand the attachment et the brake backing plate '13]: at 42. Other than the foregoing .the construction illustratedin Fig. 6 corresponds to'that previously:

sheet metal sections which are butt-welded together along the outer face of the bracket and across the upper Land lower offset ends 26a and 2% thereof. The stamped sections, whichform the'bracket ZB, are in this instanceprovided with relatively short outwardly extending sections whichv are butt-iwelded together along their upper and lower meeting :edges to provide a tubular spindle portionii52. The remainder of the spindle is formed by means of a=cylindricaltube 53 telescoped within the tubular portion 52 and-welded thereto. The hub 40 of the wheel 4| is supported through the usual taper roller bearings'upon the cylindrical portions 52 and 53 of the spindle. 'As in 'the previous embodiments, the brake backing plateiiiil is boltedtto the :outer iface oi the bracket 26 at points 'aboveiand' below the spindle and the upper iend of the bracket is-preferably. reinforced bymeansof aniangle member 28.0,:as inithe structure shown in Fig. 6, in order-to s'trengthentthe mounting for the anchor bolt 36. Thus, in the embodiment of 'Fig..;10 the.upright wheel support-- ingbracket' or arm 26 isformed in-two sectionszor halves which are placed together with their edges in --abutting,relation and are welded -to-,,

gether along, these meeting; edges. .This bracket. is integrallyitormedvwith.a portion 52' of thewheel spindlev and the remainder of the spindle is formed by means of a steel tube 53 telescoped into the portion 52 and welded thereto.

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate the manner in which theinvention may be readily applied to a motor vehicle in which the front dirigible wheels are powerdriven. In this embodiment the upright supporting bracket 26 and the wheel spindle are constructed in accordance with the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 10, the bracket and spindle portion. 52 being formed from two'similar pressed metal sectionsbutt-welded together along their meeting edges and the remainder of the spindle being formed by the tube 53 extending into and welded to the spindle portion 52. In this construction the spindle, comprising parts 52 and 53 rigidly secured together, is hollow and of an inside diameter sufficient to permit the driving shaft for the front wheel to extend freely therethrough. The driving shaft 61 is provided for each of the front wheels and is driven from the crank shaft of the engine, the shaft being made in two sections connected together by a suitable constant velocity universal joint 68. -The outer end of the drive shaft projects beyond the spindle 53 and is rigidly secured to a cross-head 69 which in turn is bolted at Hi to an extended portion 40a of the wheel hub 40. From this construction it will be readily seen that the front wheels ofthe vehicle may be driven in simple and eflicient manner by extending the driving shafts axially through the wheel spindles and attaching them at their outer ends to the wheel hubs. Each supporting bracket 26'is in the form of an inwardly opening channel, as in the previous embodiments. However, in the construction shown in Figs. 11 and 12 the sides of the channel are widened out at H to provide ample space for the reception and operation of the universal joint 68 which is partially housed within the channel. The upper and lower suspension arms 22 and 24 are connected to the upper and lower ends of the Support bracket 26 through the medium of alined king pins 49 and also connecter members 46 and associated parts in the same manner as shown and described in connection with the other embodiments of this invention. It will thus be seen that relative pivotal motion of the suspension arms and the support bracket 26 about horizontal axes is permitted in response to vertical movements of the wheels while at the same time the wheels may be rotated about the axes of the king pins for steering purposes, all of which being accomplished without interfering with the drive mech- I anism for the wheels. In the embodiment of Figs.

11 and 12 the steering arm 43 is attached to the support bracket 26 near the upper end of the bracket above the universal joint 68 so as to avoid interference therewith.

I claim:

1. Supporting means for the wheel of a vehicle comprising an upright bracket having a wheel supporting spindle rigid therewith, said bracket comprising a pair of abutted pressed metal sections angular in cross section and rigidly secured together, each section forming a portion of the spindle and said portions being abutted and rigidly secured together.

2. Supporting means for the wheel of a vehicle comprising an upright channel-shaped bracket having a wheel supporting spindle rigid therewith. said bracket comprising a pair ofpressed metal angle sections having their edges arranged in abutting "relation and welded together to form a channel, and means for closing the .upper and lower ends of "said channel to provide mountings for swinging suspension arms.

3. Supporting means for the wheel of a vehicle comprising an upright bracket having a wheel supporting spindle rigid therewith, said bracket comprising a pair of pressed metal sections having their edges arranged in abutting relation and welded together to form a channel and a tubular portion of the spindle.

4. Supporting means for the wheel of a vehicle comprising two pressed metal sections welded to gether in abutting relation to form an upright inwardly opening channel having a central web; said sections also forming a tubular wheel spindle integral with said web.

5. Supporting means for the wheel of a vehicle comprising two pressed metal sections welded together in abutting relation to form an upright inwardly opening channel having a central web, said sections also forming a portion of a tubular wheel spindle integral with said web.

6. Supporting means for the wheel of a vehicle comprising an upright channel shaped bracket having a central web and inwardly directed side flanges, a hollow wheel spindle rigid at its inner end with said web and extending outwardly therefrom, and a brake backing plate abutting against the outer face of the web and rigidly secured thereto, said bracket comprising two similar pressed metal sections secured together along adjacent edges and integrally forming at least a portion of said spindle.

7. A wheel support comprising an upright channel-shaped bracket and a tubular wheel supporting spindle extending therefrom formed from two pressed metal sections, each section comprising as a unit substantially one half of the bracket and substantially one half of the spindle with the abutting edges of the sections welded together. I 8.A wheel support comprising an upright channel-shaped bracket and a tubular wheel supporting spindle extending therefrom formed from two pressed metal sections, each section comprising as a unit substantially one half of the bracket and substantially one half of the spindle with the abutting edges of the sections welded together along lines lying in a common plane.

9. A wheel support compriting two pressed metal members welded together, each member comprising an angle portion and a semi-tubular spindle portion projecting therefrom, the corresponding edges of said portions of the two members being abutted and welded together to provide an upright generally channel-shaped bracket and a tubular spindle.

10. A wheel support comprising two pressed metal members welded together, each member comprising in a single stamping an angle portion and a semi-tubular spindle portion projecting therefrom, the corresponding edges of said portions of the two members being abutted and welded together along lines lying in a common plane to provide an upright generally channel shaped bracket and a tubular spindle.

11. A wheel support comprising two pressed metal sections each having an upright angle por-' tion and a semi-tubular portion projecting therefrom, the corresponding edges of said portions of the two sections being butt-welded together to provide an upright generally channel-shaped bracket and a tubular wheel spindle.

12. A wheel support comprising two pressed metal sections each having anupright angle por-q tion and a semi-tubular portion projecting substantially at right angles thereto, the corresponding edges of said portions of the two sections being butt-welded together along lines lying in substantially a common plane to provide an upright generally channel-shaped bracket and a tubular wheel spindle.

WILLIAM D. ALLISON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Wolforth Oct. 25, 1932 Number Number Number 

